Liquid inlet and air vent for tanks



June 22 1926.

A. A. WILCOX LIQUID INLET AND AIR VENT FOR TANKS Filed Oct. 30, 1924 l wumboz Patented June 22, 1926.

UNITED STATES ASA A. WILCOX, or ELMIRA, NEW, Yoax.

LIQUID INLET AND AIR VENT FOR TANKS.

Application filed October 30, 1924. Seria1No. 746,844j

Difficulty is often experienced in rapidly filling the fuel tanks of automobiles and other kinds of tanks,'as the usual filling'tube or neck will not permit the unhampere d escape of air from the tank, as such air is displaced by the inflowing liquid, the result being that the air must bubble through the liquid in the filling neck or tube, in order to escape. In so doing, a great deal of liquid is often blown back out of the filling tube or neck and totally wasted. It is the object of my invention however to overcome this difliculty, by the provision of an exceptionally simple and inexpensive inner tube for disposition within the usual filling neck or tube, said inner tube being constructed to permit the free escape of air from'the tank as the liquid enters the latter.

Vith the foregoing in view, the invention resides in the novel subject matter hereinafter described and claimed, the description being supplemented by the accompanying drawing.

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view showing the invention.

Figure 2 1s a side elevation of the inner tube.

Figures 3 and 4 are transverse sectional views as indicated by lines 33 and 4-4 of Fi 2.

In the drawing above briefly described, the numeral 1 designates the filling tube or neck of a tank 2, which tank may be a reservoir for fuel, on an automobile, or any other kind of tank to which liquid is to be supplied and from which air must at the same time be exhausted. The outer end of the tube or neck 1 is provided with a removable cap 3. Commonly, when liquid is to be dis charged into the tank 2, the cap 3 is removed and a nozzle on the end of a hose is inserted into the outer end of the neck 1, but when filling in this manner, a great deal of fuel is often wasted, for the reasons above set forth. I overcome this wastage by the provision of an inner tube 4 which extends from the outer end of the tube 1, substantially to or beyond the inner end of said tube 1. The tube 4 is provided with alternate external ribs 5 and air escape channels 6. the latter being open at both ends, so that the air from the tank may readily escape through them, as liquid is supplied to the tank through the tube 4. The inner end of this tube is preferably contracted by tapering it, as indicated at 7, and this contraction, serves to direct incoming liquid inwardly away from" the wall of the tube 1, so that it will not interfere with proper escape of air through thechannels 6.

-- The tube 4 is preferably formed of corrutheribs 5 and channels 6, but imparts circumferential resiliency tosaid tube, so that if it is made slightly larger than the internal contracted, so that it will frictionally engage the filling neck or tube 1 and will thus effectively remain in place.

In contracting the inner end of the tube 4. said end may be longitudinally slit as indicated at 8 and portions of the tube adjacent the slits overlapped as disclosed at 9 in Fig. 4.

By employing the construction shown and described, or a substantial equivalent thereof, a device is provided which will besimple and inexpensive, yet will be very efficient and desirable. As excellent results have been obtained from the details disclosed, I prefer that they be followed, but within the scope of the invention as claimed, modifications may be made.

I claim:

1. A liquid inlet and air escape passage for tanks, comprising an outer tube to lead to a tank, and an inner liquid conducting tube within said outer tube, said inner tube extending from the outer end of the outer tube substantially to the inner end of the latter and having alternate external ribs and air escape channels, said ribs contacting with the inner side of the outer tube from the outer end of the inner tube to a point spaced .from its inner end, said inner tube being tapered from said point to its inner end to direct the ingoing liquid inwardly away from the outer tube.

2. A liquid conducting tube adapted to be fixedly held in the filling neck of a tank, said tube having alternate external ribs and air escape grooves from end to end, said tube being formed of corrugated sheet metal to impart circumferential resiliency thereto, the inner end of said tube being tapered to facilitate insertion into a relatively small Y gated sheet metal which not only provides neck and ,to direct ingoing liquid inwardly away liro n the Wall of saidne'ck, the remainder of the length of the tube being of uniform diameter for tight frictional contact with the inner side of the filling neck when said tube is tightly forced into the neck.

3. A liquid conducting tube of nnigforzrn ,diameter throughout the greater part of its length and adapted .to be fixedly held in the filling neck of a tank, Said tube being longitudinally corrugated and having circumferentially spaced longitudinal slits at its inner end, the metal between the slits being zbent inwardly to impart .a tape-red formation $0 the inner end of the tube for the purpose set forth, the portions of the metal adjacent said slits being disposed in royerlapping relation.

1 In combination, a straight cylindrical tank filling neck, and a longitudinally corrugated circumferentially compressed inner tube withinsaid filling neck and frictionally held therein throughout the greater part of its length by its own resiliency, the spaces between the corrugations of said tube being open at both their inner and outer ends, to permit 'escape of air troni the tank ,h?il liquid is being discharged into said tank through the tube.

In testimony whereof I .hawe h reunto affixed my signature.

SA A- W LCQJX- 

